The three Canadian cities seeking to host NHL games under the league's return-to-play plan appear to have cleared a significant hurdle.

Canada's government issued an order in council that would allow Edmonton, Toronto, or Vancouver to serve as one of the NHL's two hub cities if play resumes, a federal official told The Canadian Press on Thursday.

The order, which would reportedly green-light a "cohort quarantine," still needs to be signed by the country's Governor General.

It would let the league work around Canada's mandatory 14-day quarantine period for all individuals entering the nation.

The NHL reportedly had to provide a plan that adhered to Canada's public health requirements before the government went ahead with the order.

On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada was open to having one of its cities serve as a hub for the NHL as long as it was approved by local health authorities.

The three aforementioned Canadian cities were among 10 in North America that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said were under consideration when the league unveiled its 24-team playoff plan in late May.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly later said the league would be open to having a Canadian city serve as one of the hubs, but that the 14-day quarantine period could prevent it.

Earlier in May, Trudeau said "anyone who arrives from another country will have to follow all the rules of quarantine in an extremely strict manner," but he added that the implications of the border rule on the NHL were unclear.

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Warning: Story contains graphic content

Former CHL players Daniel Carcillo and Garrett Taylor initiated a proposed class-action lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League and its three major junior leagues.

In the proposed lawsuit, Carcillo and Taylor allege widespread abuse, hazing, and bullying of underage players by senior players, team staff, and coaches.

"Survivors of such abuse have come forward and continue to come forward to this day," the statement of claim reads, according to TSN's Rick Westhead. "However, the defendants have stubbornly ignored or failed to reasonably address this institutionalized and systemic abuse.

"Rather than respond to or make meaningful attempts to prevent such abuse, the defendants have instead perpetuated a toxic environment that condones violent, discriminatory, racist, sexualized, and homophobic conduct, including physical and sexual assault, on the underage players they are obligated to protect."

In the 46-page document filed in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto on Thursday, Carcillo and Taylor described multiple alleged incidents. Those include players urinating and spitting on rookies in showers while a head coach laughed it off, and first-year players being struck on their bare buttocks with a sawed-off goalie stick.

The allegations have not been proven, nor has the CHL responded to Thursday's legal action.

The proposed lawsuit is seeking damages for "negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and a declaration that the teams and the leagues are vicariously liable for abuse perpetrated by their employees and players," according to The Canadian Press.

"It is on behalf of underage minors who suffered violent hazing, physical and sexual assault, and psychological trauma while playing major junior hockey," Carcillo wrote in a statement Thursday.

"I believe this case will give those who were abused a chance to be heard," he continued. "In my experience, sharing stories of abuse is part of the healing process. It allows a person to take the power back. I also believe that this lawsuit will create real, positive change in Canadian junior hockey. This type of abuse has nothing to do with the sport and it needs to stop."

Carcillo, who twice won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, played three OHL seasons with the Sarnia Sting and the Mississauga IceDogs. He retired from the NHL after nine campaigns in 2015.

Taylor spent parts of two seasons in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Prince Albert Raiders.

The OHL, Waterloo Regional Police, and the Kitchener Rangers are investigating recent allegations made by former Ranger Eric Guest. He said a veteran player forced him and a young teammate to do cocaine when Guest was 16.

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Lias Andersson's tenure with the New York Rangers appears to be over for good.

The seventh overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft has declined an invitation to join the team for training camp and is opting to remain in his native Sweden, according to the New York Post's Larry Brooks.

Andersson will play the 2020-21 season in Sweden if the Rangers do not trade him and could do so even if he is dealt, depending on the timing of a deal, Brooks added.

The 21-year-old forward reportedly requested a trade in December. The Rangers loaned him to HV71 of the Swedish league in January.

Andersson has tallied nine points in 66 NHL games across three seasons with New York.

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The NHL's Eastern and Western conferences could find themselves switching places when play resumes.

"The NHL's preference would be that a home team doesn't play in its own hub," TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading." "That is to say if Vegas were to be a hub, the Vegas Golden Knights wouldn't play in Vegas, they would play in the other hub. That's the preference."

The switch would presumably be made in an effort to avoid giving players on any one team the distinct advantage of playing and living in their home city for the duration of the playoffs.

It's possible, however, that both hub cities will be located in the same conference, making such an advantage unavoidable.

"It's entirely conceivable that both hubs could be in the West," McKenzie continued. "So let's say it's Vegas and Vancouver, or Vegas and Edmonton - distinct possibilities. That would mean one of Vegas or Vancouver would be at home in one of those two cities. Or one of Edmonton or Vegas would have to be at home."

McKenzie noted that Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Las Vegas are all still in the running to serve as hubs for the league's 24-team playoff. He did not specify if any of the other six cities among the original 10 candidates - Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Pittsburgh - are still under consideration.

The league is expected to announce Monday the two cities that will each host 12 teams, John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported earlier in June.

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Mitch Marner likes what he's seen so far from the NHL in terms of keeping its players and staff safe, and has faith in the league to continue to do so.

"I think the NHL has everything under control through what I've seen through the last week or so," the Toronto Maple Leafs forward said Thursday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "They’re doing all the right things to make sure no one's in the wrong or going to be in a bad place if anything happens.

"I think they're going to do what's best for their athletes and make sure that they're willing to look after us and take care of us."

Marner is one of a handful of Leafs players who have returned to the team's facilities amid Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play plan. During this phase, players are allowed to train in groups of up to six and need to take a number of measures to ensure one another's safety.

Players' temperatures are checked daily when they enter the facility, they undergo twice-weekly nasal swab tests, and they're required to wear masks when they're not working out, among other regulations.

While the circumstances are far from normal, Marner added that he's enjoyed being able to get back together with some teammates. He's been hitting the ice with John Tavares, Ilya Mikheyev, Jake Muzzin, Cody Ceci, and Jack Campbell.

"It's great getting back out there with a couple of the guys and getting to enjoy all that stuff and hanging out in the locker room again with them," Marner said. "It's something that I think a lot of guys really do enjoy, just being in the locker room and kind of just joke around and chirp each other."

The league tentatively aims to initiate Phase 3 of its return-to-play plan on July 10, which would allow teams to open up training camps in full for all players.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets activated star defenseman Seth Jones off injured reserve, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Thursday.

Jones missed the club's final 14 regular-season games before the pause in mid-March due to an ankle injury, which came with an 8-10 week recovery timeline. He'll be able to join the club when training camps open July 10 and is expected to suit up for Columbus' play-in best-of-five series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Blue Jackets sorely missed Jones while he was injured, winning just three of 14 contests without their defensive leader. The 25-year-old rearguard was putting together another terrific campaign before he was hurt, registering 30 points in 56 games while averaging over 25 minutes per night against opponents' top offensive threats.

Columbus also activated defenseman Dean Kukan off the IR on Thursday. He missed 29 games before the pause due to a knee injury.

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Montreal Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin is healthy again and hopes to rekindle the confidence he had early in the 2019-20 season if and when the NHL returns to the ice this summer.

"I just want to grab what I did in that first (part of the) season and bring it to whenever hockey starts again," Drouin told Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "In those three months (away from hockey) I looked at some of those games and the reason I was playing well, the reason was I was skating. You look at those things and you want to bring those things back when hockey comes around again. But, definitely, I want to go back to that same pace and that same feeling I had."

Drouin started his season with 15 points in 19 games but suffered a wrist tendon injury in November that kept him out of Montreal's lineup for nearly three months. He suited up for eight contests in February but was sidelined with an ankle injury shortly before the league suspended play.

Prior to his first injury, Drouin believes he was playing his best hockey since the Canadiens acquired him from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017.

"I felt way more comfortable in the first couple of months of the season than I had ever been in Montreal," he said. "Just playing hockey, it didn't matter. The team was playing well, I was playing well, and I just felt good about my game at the time. And I felt confident going against any team and in any building ... At least I saw I can be an impact player every night if I show up and play the game I’m supposed to play, and that was a good time for me."

The Canadiens captured the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference and are slated to battle the Pittsburgh Penguins in a best-of-five to advance to the traditional 16-team playoff format.

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The 2019-20 NHL campaign remains on pause, but it's never too early to look ahead to the offseason. With that in mind, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating the best players that could be available in unrestricted free agency, whenever that occurs.

Zdeno Chara and Jay Bouwmeester were omitted from this list because they're unlikely to switch teams if they continue playing.

Forwards | Defensemen | Goaltenders (June 20)

1. Alex Pietrangelo

Handedness: Right
Age: 30
Current team: Blues
2019-20 cap hit: $6.5M

Defensemen of Pietrangelo's ilk rarely hit the open market. Over the last few years, players like Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson, and John Carlson all signed mammoth eight-year extensions before hitting free agency. The Blues will likely do everything in their power to get Pietrangelo locked up, but they'll have to move some money around - they have just $4.5 million in projected cap space for next season and he could demand an average annual value somewhere between $8 million and $11 million.

Pietrangelo is a bona fide No. 1 defenseman and there will be a bidding war for his services if he makes it to free agency.

2. Torey Krug

Handedness: Left
Age: 29
Current team: Bruins
2019-20 cap hit: $5.25M

Krug is not a legitimate No. 1 defenseman, but he's pretty close. He's perfectly suited for the role he played in Boston, where he excelled in second-pairing minutes with plenty of offensive-zone starts while a top pairing played a shutdown role. He's also an elite power-play quarterback. As an excellent skater and rather durable player, he should age well, so a long-term contract shouldn't scare teams off at the right price (around $6 million-$8 million AAV).

3. Dustin Byfuglien

Handedness: Right
Age: 35
Current team: N/A
2019-20 cap hit: $7.6M

*2018-19 stats

Byfuglien is the biggest wild card of this free-agent class. He missed the entire 2019-20 season due to an ankle injury and a dispute with the Jets over his pay, which eventually led to the termination of his contract in April. Will the year of rest and rehab serve Byfuglien well? Or will he be a step behind when he returns? Signing him is risky, especially since defensemen in Big Buff's weight class generally don't perform well in their mid-to-late 30s. Paying a premium on a one-year deal would be a smarter move than trying to get a bargain on a multi-year pact.

4. T.J. Brodie

Handedness: Left
Age: 30
Current team: Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $4.65M

Brodie is left-handed, but he's primarily played on the right side during his nine seasons in Calgary, usually alongside Mark Giordano. Coaches and, to a lesser extent, general managers covet that type of versatility. Brodie's offensive production dipped this season - he didn't play at a 30-point pace for the first time since 2012-13. However, he's still a serviceable top-four blue-liner who can move the puck and adequately defend without it.

5. Tyson Barrie

Handedness: Right
Age: 28
Current team: Maple Leafs
2019-20 cap hit: $5.5M

Barrie is a highly skilled offensive defenseman. He got off to a rough start with the Maple Leafs this season but settled in after Mike Babcock was fired, playing at a 56-point pace (over 82 games) once Sheldon Keefe took over in November. Barrie doesn't come without his flaws, as his teams routinely give up more chances than they generate when he's on the ice. He can play a top-four role, but he needs to have a coach who encourages his high-risk, high-reward game.

6. Chris Tanev

Handedness: Right
Age: 30
Current team: Canucks
2019-20 cap hit: $4.45M

Tanev is the polar opposite of Barrie. His offensive contributions are minimal, but he always makes the safe, conservative play, and he defends really well despite not being very physical. His shot-suppression numbers have been outstanding his entire career, up until 2019-20. Was this season an aberration? Or is it the beginning of his decline? Tanev's also struggled to stay healthy, never playing more than 70 games in any of his 10 seasons. He could be the missing ingredient for a team that needs a steady presence on the back end, but any contract longer than three years would be incredibly risky.

7. Travis Hamonic

Handedness: Right
Age: 29
Current team: Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $3.857M

Hamonic is much like Tanev, but at their respective peaks, he's never been as effective at suppressing scoring chances. Though he's not going to light up the scoresheet, he can serve as a quality top-four defenseman as long as he's paired with someone who thrives at moving the puck. His decline could be steep, so overpaying in the short term would be smarter than trying to get a bargain on a long-term deal.

8. Kevin Shattenkirk

Handedness: Right
Age: 31
Current team: Lightning
2019-20 cap hit: $1.75M

Shattenkirk had a huge bounce-back season with the Lightning after a forgettable two-year stint with the Rangers. The Blueshirts bought him out with two years left on his contract, but he took a one-year prove-it deal with the Bolts and showed he still has plenty left in the tank. As long as he's on a team that embraces his offensive mentality, he can still excel in a sheltered role. He can quarterback a top power-play unit, too.

9. Sami Vatanen

Handedness: Right
Age: 29
Current team: Hurricanes
2019-20 cap hit: $4.875M

Vatanen is a well-rounded defenseman who lacks a single standout trait. He's a solid defender, but he's below average at suppressing scoring chances. He can chip in offensively, but he doesn't drive possession the way the blue-liners ahead of him on this list do. He's an above-average skater, which helps make up for his lack of size at 5-foot-10. Overall, he's simply an average second-pairing rearguard.

10. Dylan DeMelo

Handedness: Right
Age: 27
Current team: Jets
2019-20 cap hit: $900K

DeMelo is one of the youngest players on this list, which could help him land a long-term deal. He's not flashy and will contribute almost nothing in the offensive zone, but he's an extremely smart defender with good positioning and an active stick. Though he can make a decent first pass, he's better off paired with someone who can shoulder most of the puck-moving duties.

11. Brenden Dillon

Handedness: Left
Age: 29
Current team: Capitals
2019-20 cap hit: $3.27M

Dillon is a physical specimen. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder finished fourth among NHL defenseman with 194 hits this season. He brings the type of nastiness that strikes fear into his opponents - a trait that can't be measured by advanced metrics. However, it's not just the old-school crowd that appreciates Dillon; his above-average career possession numbers appeal to the analytics community as well.

12. Justin Schultz

Handedness: Right
Age: 29
Current team: Penguins
2019-20 cap hit: $5.5M

Schultz looked bound for stardom after his 51-point season in 2016-17, followed by a spectacular playoff run during which he stepped up in Kris Letang's absence and tallied 13 points in 21 games en route to Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup win. He hasn't come close to replicating that peak, though, as injuries have contributed to inconsistent play. While Schultz still has plenty of upside, there's also lots of risk involved in signing him.

13. Justin Braun

Handedness: Right
Age: 33
Current team: Flyers
2019-20 cap hit: $3.8M

Braun is a steady veteran presence who could be the missing ingredient for a young team looking to take the next step. His offensive contributions are minimal, but he excels at preventing scoring chances. He's an ideal No. 5 blue-liner, but any deal longer than two years would be risky.

14. Radko Gudas

Handedness: Right
Age: 30
Current team: Capitals
2019-20 cap hit: $3.35M

Gudas is a human bowling ball. He's listed at just 6-feet, 204 pounds, but he's one of the league's most feared hitters. Playing him 20-plus minutes per night is not conducive to success, but he brings plenty of value in a third-pairing role.

15. Erik Gustafsson

Handedness: Left
Age: 28
Current team: Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $1.2M

Gustafsson's out-of-nowhere 60-point season in 2018-19 is starting to look like an outlier. There's still some upside, but paying him top-four money would be a dicey proposition since he can be a defensive liability. He'd be a good signing for a rebuilding team looking to catch lightning in a bottle.

16. Jon Merrill

Handedness: Left
Age: 28
Current team: Golden Knights
2019-20 cap hit: $1.375M

Merrill is arguably the most unheralded name to crack this list, but he's a very steady third-pairing option. Even though he rarely has to go up against opposing top lines, he's proven to have a knack for limiting opponents' scoring chances. He could be a very nice bargain signing for a depth-needy team.

17. Joel Edmundson

Handedness: Left
Age: 26
Current team: Hurricanes
2019-20 cap hit: $3.1M

Edmundson is the youngest player on this list, so it wouldn't be shocking if he received a long-term deal with a modest cap hit. The 6-foot-4 rearguard has his offensive limitations, but he doesn't shy away from the rough stuff. He's a very safe No. 5 or 6 defenseman.

18. Trevor van Riemsdyk

Handedness: Right
Age: 28
Current team: Hurricanes
2019-20 cap hit: $2.3M

It took some time for van Riemsdyk to find his footing after missing the first eight games of the 2019-20 regular season due to offseason shoulder surgery. He's not physical by any stretch, but he's a smart defender who makes a solid first pass. He shouldn't be relied upon as a top-four option, but he's handled weaker competition with relative ease.

19. Mike Green

Handedness: Right
Age: 34
Current team: Oilers
2019-20 cap hit: $5.375M

A premier offensive defenseman in his heyday, Green's production has dried up as he's gotten older. Playing for the god-awful Red Wings over the last few years hasn't helped, but Green was also miscast playing 20-plus minutes a night. He only skated in two games with the Oilers after the trade deadline, so we haven't really seen how he'd perform in a limited role. However, the playoffs should be a decent indicator of how he looks on a third pairing. We know he's still capable of quarterbacking a second power-play unit.

20. Mark Borowiecki

Handedness: Left
Age: 30
Current team: Senators
2019-20 cap hit: $1.2M

Borowiecki is a pure heart and soul guy. He gives his all every shift and is always willing to lay his body on the line. Borowiecki's not the most skilled or analytically friendly player, but he's good to have in the locker room and is a capable No. 6 or 7 defenseman.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)
(Salary source: Cap Friendly)

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